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I've cut my climate footprint by (as a wild guess) 90% and my standard of living has improved. I'm healthier, happier, more comfortable. Most of what I changed

I've cut my climate footprint by (as a wild guess) 90% and my standard of living has improved. I'm healthier, happier, more comfortable. Most of what I changed were things I just did based on habit - habits probably formed by my parents when they thought energy was basically free. It's not hard at all. For example, I kept changing my thermostat until I found the minimum needed to be comfortable - it turns out I could cut energy consumption there by ~75% with zero impact on comfort, and enjoy much more fresh air. The issue is politics. The reactionary right, which seems to be the most influential power in the world right now (the only one not wallowing in despair), portrays liberalism of any sort as a catastrophic, demonic threat (no exaggeration) and otherwise has the characteristics of an angry mob. They are going to attack anything associated with liberalism, including climate change knowledge, action, discussion, etc. Until that problem is solved, nothing will happen.

bcrosby95 3y ago
People hate change. Just look at how upset they get when Facebook changes their design. Most people love being told they can continue doing whatever the hell they want. And by the time the folly of it all is realized, it will be too late - assuming it isn't already. We should have been working on this problem 30, 40 years ago. But on the upside, I guess I have the internet in my pocket. As a species, we seemed to have handled nuclear weapons relatively well. But it looks like we really fucked this one up.
- wolverine876 3y ago
  Rather than predict what others will do - an almost useless conversation - act. Cut your footprint. Lead and organize others. Humanity has been doing those things for centuries. Stop talking and go.
  - thanksgiving 3y ago
    > Cut your footprint. Lead and organize others. This is necessary and indeed admirable. A family member saying they’ve given up on using gas/electric clothes dryer has convinced me to take the baby step of reducing my own use. I do t put towels in the dryer anymore. I hang them dry. Baby steps. Cutting your own footprint is good but not enough.
    - wolverine876 3y ago
      Right, it's not enough. Start doing enough!
  - bcrosby95 3y ago
    I'm not much of a leader. But we've already done pretty much what we can. Most of our stuff is 2nd or 3rd hand. The vast majority of our trips are done by walking or bicycle. Our AC is set to 80 in the summer. Even people I know who claim to care about climate change don't care to change. AC set to 72. Heating set to 70. New laptops every year. Driving to save 5 minutes. 6k square foot house full of crap. I have had some neighbors notice and comment that "it's great" that we do some of these things (mainly not using the car very much). But they still don't care enough to change. Bleh.
    - wolverine876 3y ago
      > I'm not much of a leader. > don't care > don't care > Bleh. Look at how far you've gone down the despair rabbit hole; look at the endless rhetoric - fashionable these days. It's like a religion; people will debate for it and insist on it. People fighting for despair! You are a leader, you just don't realize it. What you do, how you do it, what you say, it moves others. Let's stop debating this absurdity and let's get to work.
- hulitu 3y ago
  > As a species, we seemed to have handled nuclear weapons relatively well. I wouldn't held my breath. We are just at the beginning.
hulitu 3y ago
"Jesus, he knows me." (a song from an obscure band).
PeterisP 3y ago
Politics is just a different word for interests, relationships and motivation - the majority of people are not willing to cut their consumption nor support any leaders which have policies that will restrict consumption. It's not limited to some small boogeyman faction of "others", it's for mainstream parties across the whole political spectrum, as the position of liberal parties is to talk the talk and take symbolic gestures but even they do not propose anything which would actually make a significant cut to consumption or price in climate costs to fossil fuels, because they aren't stupid and know all too well that even their mainstream voters aren't ready to that and will rather vote for any populist who won't impose such demands.
- wolverine876 3y ago
  > Politics is just a different word for interests, relationships and motivation That's not true. Politics is the distribution of power; to politicize something is to turn it into a power struggle. People have lots of interests, relationships, and motivations sans power struggles.

bcrosby95 3y ago

People hate change. Just look at how upset they get when Facebook changes their design. Most people love being told they can continue doing whatever the hell they want. And by the time the folly of it all is realized, it will be too late - assuming it isn't already. We should have been working on this problem 30, 40 years ago. But on the upside, I guess I have the internet in my pocket. As a species, we seemed to have handled nuclear weapons relatively well. But it looks like we really fucked this one up.

wolverine876 3y ago
Rather than predict what others will do - an almost useless conversation - act. Cut your footprint. Lead and organize others. Humanity has been doing those things for centuries. Stop talking and go.
- thanksgiving 3y ago
  > Cut your footprint. Lead and organize others. This is necessary and indeed admirable. A family member saying they’ve given up on using gas/electric clothes dryer has convinced me to take the baby step of reducing my own use. I do t put towels in the dryer anymore. I hang them dry. Baby steps. Cutting your own footprint is good but not enough.
  - wolverine876 3y ago
    Right, it's not enough. Start doing enough!
- bcrosby95 3y ago
  I'm not much of a leader. But we've already done pretty much what we can. Most of our stuff is 2nd or 3rd hand. The vast majority of our trips are done by walking or bicycle. Our AC is set to 80 in the summer. Even people I know who claim to care about climate change don't care to change. AC set to 72. Heating set to 70. New laptops every year. Driving to save 5 minutes. 6k square foot house full of crap. I have had some neighbors notice and comment that "it's great" that we do some of these things (mainly not using the car very much). But they still don't care enough to change. Bleh.
  - wolverine876 3y ago
    > I'm not much of a leader. > don't care > don't care > Bleh. Look at how far you've gone down the despair rabbit hole; look at the endless rhetoric - fashionable these days. It's like a religion; people will debate for it and insist on it. People fighting for despair! You are a leader, you just don't realize it. What you do, how you do it, what you say, it moves others. Let's stop debating this absurdity and let's get to work.
hulitu 3y ago
> As a species, we seemed to have handled nuclear weapons relatively well. I wouldn't held my breath. We are just at the beginning.

hulitu 3y ago

"Jesus, he knows me." (a song from an obscure band).

PeterisP 3y ago

Politics is just a different word for interests, relationships and motivation - the majority of people are not willing to cut their consumption nor support any leaders which have policies that will restrict consumption. It's not limited to some small boogeyman faction of "others", it's for mainstream parties across the whole political spectrum, as the position of liberal parties is to talk the talk and take symbolic gestures but even they do not propose anything which would actually make a significant cut to consumption or price in climate costs to fossil fuels, because they aren't stupid and know all too well that even their mainstream voters aren't ready to that and will rather vote for any populist who won't impose such demands.

wolverine876 3y ago
> Politics is just a different word for interests, relationships and motivation That's not true. Politics is the distribution of power; to politicize something is to turn it into a power struggle. People have lots of interests, relationships, and motivations sans power struggles.